Arch and ankle support.



H. A'., BERNSTEl N.

ARCH AND ANKLE SUPPORT.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 13. 1916.

1 21 mm, Patented 511. 1917.

m y W ATTORNEYS HENRY A. nnnns'rnm, on NEW YORK, n. Y.

ARCH AND ANKLE SUPPORT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 2, 191 7.

Application filed March 13, 1916; Serial No. 83,881.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, HENRY A. BERN- STEIN, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of New York, borough of Manhattan, in the county and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Arch and Ankle Support, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The object of the invention is to provide a new and improved arch and ankle support which is very simple and durable in construction, cheap to manufacture and arranged for convenient attachment to the foot with a view to readily hold up the arch and to sustain the ankle without discomfort to the wearer'or impeding the use of stockings and shoes.

- In order to produce the desired result, use is made of an endless elastic band twisted to form an arch loop and an ankle loop, the loops standing approximately at a right angle one to the other, the portions of the band intermediate the loops having their opposite flat surfaces slidingly overlying one the other.

A practical embodiment of the invention is represented in the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the arch and ankle support as applied; Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same; and Fig. 3 is a plan view of the same.

The arch and ankle support in its general construction consists of an endless elastic bandlO twisted to form an arch loop 11 and an ankle loop 12', of which the arch loop 11 extends under the arch of the foot and over the instep. The ankle loop 12 passes around the ankle directlyabove the heel of the foot, as plainly indicated in Fig. 1.

In manufacturing the arch and ankle support a piece of an elastic band is used and the ends 13 thereof are cut at an angle, and after the loops 11 and 12 are formed by twisting the band then the said ends 13 are fastened together bystitches or other suitable fastening means. By the arrangement described the loop 12 is tapering in a downward and outward direction to snugly fit the corresponding curvature of the ankle. It will also be noticed that the portions 15 and 16 of the band cross each other at the top of the instep and slidingly overlie each other w1th their opposite faces, and in order to hold the said parts 15 and 16 in position and in sllding engagement with each other, use is made of an elastic guiding loop 17 extending endwise of the band and attached at its ends by stitches or other means to the upper face of the band portion 16 at the opposite sldes of the band portion 15.

In manufacturing the arch and ankle sup port the loops 11 and 12 are considerably smaller in size than the corresponding portions of the foot, and hence when the support is drawn in position on the users foot then the elastic band expands and the loops 11 and 12 tightly engage the portions of the lf)ootdl owing to the inherent resiliency of the From the foregoing it will be seen that the arch and ankle support is very simple in construction and the user can readily distinguish the arch loop 11 from the ankle loop 12 as the latter has a tapering side.

In'placing the arch and ankle support in position on the foot, it is only necessary for the user to pass the foot through the loops 12 and 11 and to draw the loop 12 up on the ankle at the time the loop 11 is in position on the arch and instep of the foot.

Having thus described my invention, 1 claim asnew and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. As an article of manufacture, an arch and ankle support, comprising a comparatively wide endless elastic band twisted to form an arch loop and an ankle loop, the loops standing approximately at a right angle one to the other and the ankle loop tapering in a downward and outward direction, the portions of the band intermediate the loops having their opposite flat surfaces slidingly overlying one the other at the top.

2. As an article of manufacture, an arch and ankle support, comprising a comparatively wide endless elastic band twisted to forman arch loop and an ankle loop, the loops standing approximately at a right angle one to the other, the portions of the band intermediate the loops having their opposite flat surfaces slidingly overlying one the other at the top, and a loop attached to the under middle portion and through which extends the upper middle portion and holding the said parts in position.

3. As an article of manufacture, an arch and ankle support, eomprising a comparatively wide endless elastic band twisted to form an arch loop and an ankle loop, the loops standing approximately at a right angle one to the other, the said ankle loop being tapering in a downward and outward direction to fit the curvature of the ankle, the portions of the band intermediate of the loops crossing each other at the top, and a 10 loop secured to the underlying portion and through which the overlying portion freely slides and holding the parts in position.

In testimony whereof I have signed'my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

HENRY A. BERNSTEIN.

Witnesses:

Tnno. G. Hosrnn, PHILIP D. ROLLHAUS. 

